Gone Down With the Pearl
by JaxLass
Summary: AWE filler. Brethren Court–aftermath. Inside Shipwreck Cove, Jack sets a guiltplagued Lizzie straight about forgiveness, loyalties and truths concerning a certain conspicuously absent friend.


**Disclaimer: Oh, that they were mine, but alas, not.**

**GONE DOWN WITH THE PEARL.**

AWE filler - Brethren Court –aftermath of the meeting.

Satisfactory closure for this pair must have ended up on a cutting room floor. So based on the promising 'Oh, w_ill you never forgive me?_ clip, here's one version of what could have happened if Lizzie had been persistent – and of course, Jack deserves his chance to vent, right? Sparrabeth? Maybe, maybe not.

AN: I see (and write) Jack edgier than the lovable outlaw. True, he does have his shiny moments, but a hard life would have molded him much tougher than what he would have us perceive. And, yes, he still has 'oar' issues.

Summary: At Shipwreck Cove, Jack sets Lizzie straight about forgiveness, loyalties and truths concerning a certain conspicuously absent friend.

Elizabeth lingered at the end of the debris-strewn table as the last of the Pirate Lords left, the French one (who's name had sounded like chandelier but she knew that wasn't right), arched a gray brow at Sparrow and muttered something incomprehensible. The pirate took a few steps back in quick retreat, forcing a weak smile as he touched his fingertips to the coin beaded onto his bandana.

"Uh, thanks for the… warning, mate."

Jack watched the faded, flowery aristocrat peer at the sword-festooned globe and then leave the gloom-ridden hall. If the pirate knew that she stood there waiting, he didn't acknowledge it. He had barely taken much notice of her since his rescue from the Locker. She had thought that finding him would ease the unbearable sense of guilt she'd carried for months since the _Pearl _hadsunk. She should have been smarter than that; she should have known Jack's forgiveness was her only salvation. In his last moments after the fatal kiss, she'd been sure that he understood, maybe even accepted her choice.

Worthy of a pirate.

But she had long since realized that Jack hadn't deserved that kind of heartless betrayal whether it was for Will or not. If he had chosen to stay with the _Pearl_, she had stolen that dignity from him with an iron shackle. Yes, she had paid the price - suffering overwhelming misery and sorrow for her unspoken deed.

It hadn't been close to the regret for burning Jack's rum or even the dread for allowing him to be delivered back into the hands of an unyielding Norrington to be hung.

The cold accusation in Will's silent gaze hurt, but the lack of _any_ emotion in Jack's eyes seemed too much to endure in her shame. Even in his presence she missed Captain Sparrow.

And now his final vote had elected her Pirate King.

"Jack, thank you for what you did."

"Politics, is all," he said quietly, his back still toward her.

"You didn't have to."

"Perhaps not." Barbossa's frenzied monkey suddenly dropped from a nearby wall bracket and scampered for a forgotten peanut shell, shrieking at Jack as it waved its new prize in its tiny-clawed fist. He swatted at the animal in annoyance, dancing back when it tried to nip his fingers.

"Erk! You I did _not_ miss! Is there no way to be rid of you?"

Elizabeth moved further up the table to stand abreast of him and regain his attention. "Jack, do you not believe you made the right--?"

"Choice?" Jack gritted, turning his head to look at her dispassionately, no trace of warmth in his wide dark eyes. "Ah, you would know about choices, would you not, Miss, er, Captain, er, King Swan?"

"Elizabeth," she whispered.

He grimaced, dismissively twirling a hand before her face. "In truth, I saw no choice but to chose you and what you would chose to believe is really that of your own choosing, eh?"

Suddenly intent on each other, they did not notice either man in the shadowed entry pausing to listen and watch them in silent interest.

"I was going to say 'decision," Elizabeth groaned, irritated by his assumption.

"Oh." Jack appeared momentarily deflated, and then rallied again. "But are they not, in fact, the same thing? And do tell, fair Pirate King, were _you_ the likely _choice_ of Sao Feng's ardor when he met his too recent demise, I wonder?"

Elizabeth fidgeted. "He made... advances... yes."

"Hah, advances!" Jack pointed his finger at her suspiciously. "Of the most lecherous and carnal kind, no doubt, as befits a pirate. And what, my sweet temptress, could you not find a dagger or vial of poison within reach to cool said advancing ardor then?"

"Jack, that's cruel!" Elizabeth bristled. "I did nothing to harm him! He died after the _Flying Dutchman _blasted a hole in his ship!"

"Really?" She heard his doubt and it stung. "And him livin' long enough to make you captain, ey? How unlucky for you. Seems you've acquired yourself a ship with said title to take into battle tomorrow against a rather powerful showing of authority." He leaned halfway across the table separating them, lowering his voice to mock her. "For the sake of our sadly beleaguered side, Miss Swan, I do hope that bothersome _curiosity_ about pirates of yours has been satisfied."

"Oh, how dare you say such a mean thing to me!" Elizabeth seethed. Her arm flew up from the tabletop, but he caught her wrist, holding the open palm tantalizingly inches from his face. She struggled in his grip, unable to find compassion behind his hard demeanor. "Jack, please, do you believe how sorry I am for what I caused to let happen?"

"_Let_ happen?" He echoed disbelievingly, relaxing his grip and shoving her arm away in contempt. "Ah, if by that you mean the uncompromisingly fettered consignment of my mortal embodiment into Davy Jones Locker by a disagreeable beastie, than yes, you caused that to, as you say, let happen." He compressed his lips and took a step back in retreat. "Thank you. Now kindly excuse me, Captain King Swan, I have a need to locate myself some rum." He started to turn away, but Elizabeth caught his coat sleeve.

"That didn't sound like forgiveness," she said tentatively.

"That would be because it wasn't," Jack replied evenly, brows arching as his gaze traveled with tempered impatience from her hopeful look to the fingers on his forearm. He pulled away, reluctantly facing her again. "Miss Swan..."

"Can you at least accept my apology?"

"And you would want absolution from a pirate why?"

"You are impossible!" Elizabeth growled.

'Ah, but you, fair murderess, are implacable," Jack countered, smiling wickedly at her stunned expression. "Is not the adoring of beloved William enough for you? One would think, what with your _persuasive _gift, you've won _some_ manner of accessibility in this... er, sordid matter."

Elizabeth knew she had blushed. "That would be certainly none of your concern."

"Oh, so you've _not_ sorted it out." Jack sounded amused at her discomfort. "Naught for effort on _his_ behalf, I imagine. It may be me poor addled brain, but seems dear William is less the love-besotted fool what can be led by maiden's promise and more by treasure's lure, 'ey?"

Elizabeth still wanted to slap him. "He's _not _seeking treasure, Jack. He wants to save his father and you _know _that."

"Aye," he concurred easily. "Why else voluntarily board the _Dutchman_, if not for Bootstrap?"

"You tricked him into that," she accused. "For your own selfish purpose, and then you lied."

"Serving his purpose as well as mine," Jack admitted airily, waving off her ire. "That being no desire to serve an eternity under Davy Jones. Trust me, love, I don't have the face for all that fishy-whatnot."

The man was completely unrepentant, Elizabeth noted in dismay. "For that reason you would sacrifice a friend?"

Jack shrugged, unfazed by her disappointment. "More acquaintance than friend actually, so yes, if it were necessary. And what is that look for then, darlin'? I offended you?" he objected, brows rising. "You should know William would and _has_, in fact, done the same to me."

She wouldn't believe that. "Will is an honorable man!!"

"Aye, very honorable," Jack laughed caustically. "Let us put aside the fun we had with Norrington at _Isle Cruses_, shall we? Did you never wonder, Elizabeth, how it was _me_ being left behind in a bloody cave and _you_ rescued from Barbossa by your bloody _honorable_ William?"

She had simply accepted Will's word. "No..."

"No? Of course not." Jack edged closer to her around the table, narrowing his intense gaze. "Why would you, eh?"

Elizabeth gasped in disbelief. "No, Jack, not Will..."

"Oh, yes, _your_ Will," he assured her, straightening, dark eyes malevolent at the name. "In the pursing of his imperiled treasure -that would be you- he saw fit to not very honorably hit me aside the head with a bloody oar, leaving me to me mutinous and, I would point out, not very honorable formerly living former crew."

No, Will would not do such a vicious thing. "Jack, is that really the truth?"

"If you doubt me, ask honorable William," Jack returned derisively. "Oh, that's right. Pity, appears as he's left _you_ behind as well."

Reeling, Elizabeth didn't know what to think anymore. She groped for a fond memory. "What happened to the gentle, compassionate man that I knew on the island, Jack?"

"Let me think on that, shall I?" In mock contemplation, the pirate pressed a fingertip to his bottom lip. "That would be the one what's led by drink, a mendacious compass and pretty words? As it happens, he went back to help his crew, himself betrayed by said weaknesses. I suppose he deserves the locker. Or is it that I ran the poor sod through for grievous stupidity? Can't say as I remember, really."

"He wasn't stupid, he was a good man, Jack," Elizabeth lamented, bending closer. "I'm sorry that he's gone and I shall miss him."

"Oh?" For an instant, aching sadness and regret crossed the pirate's face, gaze transfixed by her inviting eyes. "I... you and he... it was... good, was it not?"

"Yes," Elizabeth breathed, equally drawn. "It _was_ good. Quite nice, actually. I did care about… him, but it never would have--"

"--worked between us... them." Jack recited wearily, knowing that mantra too well. "Sadly true, but no matter as he went down, gone with the _Pearl _andtakin' unhealthy notions of another man's betrothed with him."

Elizabeth nodded in solemn understanding. "You… he did have unhealthy notions."

"The unhealthiest," Jack assured her, and then mused. "Though, was I to judge from our last parting, it's rather doubtful of William _needing_ more cause to harm him…me. Us." He shrugged in resigned confusion.

"Jack, what did you _do_ to Will?"

"Nothing. I swear I laid no finger on him," the pirate declared, taking an affronted step back. "You want to watch your man a bit closer maybe, darlin', what with all the piratin' going on. We're a suspicious lot what abides by the law at hand." He tapped the silver butt of the pistol stuffed in his sash. "Savvy?"

Elizabeth shuddered. "Oh, Jack, this is not like you."

"I cannot imagine why you would think me otherwise." Feigning surprise, he slapped himself in the chest. "Your shameless dalliances triflin' with a man's heart and you would call _me_ cruel? Ha! Do us a favor, love, go back to your nice little _Empire_, er, _Empress, _your bloody ship and let me be off to enjoy a drink, will you?"

Elizabeth sighed, all hope of redemption lost. "You will _never _forgive me, will you?"

"No," Jack returned heavily. "And if we are done now, King Swan?"

"Yes," Elizabeth breathed in solemn defeat. "We_ are _most certainly done, _Captain _Sparrow."

He stood there for several more moments grimly watching her walk away before touching his hand to the top of his head. Funny, but he couldn't think where he'd left his hat this time and him being sober.

"This be what yer lookin' fer, boy?" Jack tensed at the gruff voice. He didn't have to look over his shoulder to know who stood behind him holding his hat.

"Ah, so it would it be a fair guess you know then?" he ventured in discomfort.

"Aye, fair enough, boy. Fetching wench. Sure yer wantin' to let her go like that?"

"What, there's a better way?" Jack turned and gratefully took his beloved hat from Captain Teague's gnarled hand, regarding the taller man past narrow lids. "Sorry, I see none of my benefit. Sides, not letting go of something what I never really had, am I?"

"Jackie boy, there's lettin' go and then there's tossin' away," Teague offered, a bit too sagely for an old pirate. "You gotta figure for yourself what you just done and then work out the why of it later, iffen ya care to."

Jack inwardly groaned. "Don't know that I honestly can figure this one out."

"Can ya forgive the lass, boy?"

Jack shrugged, grinning devilishly. "Much as it pains me to admit, I'd as likely done the same as her - had I thought to, of course. But what's a little more guilt hurt, eh?"

Teague frowned at his son, puzzling his pensive mood. "What say to findin' that rum yer wantin' and forget 'bout the lass for a bit, 'ey?"

"Aye." Sparrow forcibly regrouped with a casual shrug. "Drinking and fighting? Appropriate as not, I should think." He slapped the hat on, flustered. "And kindly tell me why, Dad, after seven and thirty years, you want to be calling me _'Jackie boy'_!!?"

Teague chuckled deep in his throat, awkwardly draping an arm around his son's shoulder for a brief pat on the back. "'Cause I gave a promise to yer mum I wouldn't be callin' ya Junior!"

"Augh!" he spluttered, almost speechless. He pointed tentatively to the shrunken head on Teague's leather belt. "That's… that thing's not… really her, is it?"

"Course not," he returned gruffly. "Yer mum's well. Likes Madagascar better. This be a little trinket I picked up in the West Indies to remind me of her. I got two more – beggars jus' 'bout as ugly!"

Jack laughed in nervous relief. "Two more, ey?" He trudged behind the older man's long-legged gait out of the hall. "Er, I don't suppose mum _knows_ you wear the… truly horrible things, eh? Rather have the coins, myself."

"Not showy enough, boy."

"They're not?"

Sparrow's voice echoed plaintively through an empty, dimming hall as a tall man in a gaudy feathered hat stepped into the light of dying candles. The mangy-furred monkey leapt suddenly from a dark corner to skitter onto his outstretched sleeve.

"Ah, so ye be old Captain Teague's legitimate spawn, eh, Jack? 'Tis no wonder then how ye turned out as odd as ye did."

The End

AN: Apologies if Jack got too harsh with Lizzie, but he's not very good with the emotion thing and she knows how to bring it out of him when he doesn't want her to.


End file.
